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College students' perspectives on what they need from a nutrition app: Implications for next-generation nutrition
Trishnee Bhurosy1, Melissa DiGiorgio2, Krisha Thiagarajah3
1Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Abstract:
Objective: Nutrition apps for young adults have rarely been designed with feedback from this tech-savvy group to increase effectiveness. This study explored college students' perspectives on what they need from an app to make healthy eating choices over time. Participants: Students at a large Midwestern University (N = 169). Methods: Using a descriptive design, participants responded to open-ended questions on Qualtrics. Using Miller and Crabtree's "editing" analysis approach, the authors examined qualitative data to categorize major themes and sub-themes. Results: Participants were predominantly freshmen (63.3%) and female (85.2%). Six major themes emerged from participants' responses: customizable, easy-to-use, goal setting, informative, set up like other apps, and visually appealing. Conclusions: This study highlighted the importance of making a college-centered nutrition app easy to use and customizable while considering cost and accessibility. Co-creation of nutrition apps with young adults can contribute to greater engagement with the apps and potentially improved effectiveness.
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